Svekla told sister being caught with body doesn't mean he's a killer

'I was set up' Svekla told sister being caught with body doesn't mean he's a killer Ryan Cormier edmontonjournal.com Thursday, February 28, 2008 CREDIT: John Lucas/Edmonton Journal Thomas Svekla before a court appearance last year EDMONTON - Thomas Svekla compared being caught with a dead body to being caught with stolen property, his double-murder trial heard today. Investigators taped a phone call Svekla made to his sister Donna Parkinson on Aug. 27, 2006, from the Edmonton Remand Centre, then played it for the court. "Think of it as stolen property," Svekla told his sister, in reference to the body found in her truck in May 2006. "If you're caught with stolen property, it doesn't mean you stole it." The body was that of Theresa Innes. Svekla referred to himself as "a Pickton of Alberta" a second time when talking about being labelled as a serial killer by the media. Court heard other tapes on Wednesday where Svekla made the same reference to B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton, who was convicted last year of killing six women. Svekla was referring then to his fame in the Edmonton Remand Centre. When Parkinson asked Svekla why he told so many people about finding the body of Rachel Quinney, he replied "I'm a big blabbermouth, you know?" Svekla complained to his sister that RCMP investigators had told his friends in High Level bad, untrue things about him. "I was well-known in High Level for being a dangerous guy. I was set up." Svekla, a 39-year-old mechanic, faces two second-degree murder charges in connection with the deaths of Quinney, 19, and Innes, 36. Quinney's body was found in a farmer's field outside Edmonton in June 2004. Svekla has pleaded not guilty. He is the only person to be charged by Project Kare, a task force investigating the deaths and disappearances of more than 70 people living high-risk lifestyles, including sex-trade workers. rcormier@thejournal.canwest.com © Edmonton Journal 2008